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First a bit of backstory.
When I was getting ready to shoot CHICK I was researching ways to have the audience be more involved in the story. I loved how the web supported a more personal story experience. During my research I discovered ARG’s (alternate reality games). The narrative interactivity they offered was exactly what I had envisioned for CHICK.
I knew nothing about ARG’s so went about visiting a popular forum and posting a topic seeking someone to come on board as puppetmaster (the person who oversees the running of the game)Â and help create a small ARG connected to CHICK.
I found someone, and we worked on the ARG for the good part of a year when, just as we were going to intertwine the ARG with the web series, things fell apart. I was left scrambling to figure out how to revise the journey Lisa was supposed to go on in connection with the ARG. The plan was to have the ARG players help guide Lisa to the find Dot.
In hindsight it was flawed for many reasons too long to go into here. I do believe it was a blessing in disguise that it fell apart before we really got it going. As you will see in solving the comic ad puzzle, it was way too advanced for the average watcher of a web series and really geared towards avid players of ARG’s.
Still it was a great learning experience that I will use to create more interactivity in season two of CHICK. So hold on, the ride’s just getting started for everyone. 
And now for the solution…
In EPISODE 13, Lisa asks for help solving the cryptic text.
She tells viewers she is going to post a scanned copy of the ad on her blog and also discovers a hidden message underneath a gold seal on the ad. The message says “Ask Vigenere for help”.
In EPISODE 14, Lisa learns others are searching for the secret academy. She shares a video she received from a woman named Herricane Furie. She tells Lisa she has a document she wants to share with her. Due to the sensitivity of the document and for security purposes, she directs people to her website where they will be instructed to enter their email address and a thorough background check conducted.
Anyone visiting the site and entering their email address received the following email message.
SUBJECT: Read and Destroy
You have been verified.
DO NOT share with anyone. Memorize information and destroy.
http://ssgforum.net/2010/02/principia/
password: ADPLUESTXXXIII
Access to the password protected post reveals a scanned copy of a document believed to be connected to the Secret Academy.
We will learn what this document is in season two. It is important to note the password is made up of the first letter of each of the main latin words, Animus, Doctrina, Philosophia, Lascivientia, Universibaili plus the ESTXXXIII at the bottom of the document. This is a mini clue.
In EPISODE 15 Lisa offers the final clues to help in solving the cipher. She tells us there is something called a vigenere cipher named after Blaise de Vigenère. We also learn we need a key to decode the cipher.
Lisa hasn’t figured out the key but she gives us all the information we need when she talks about the Latin words in the Herricane Furie document.
ANIMUS DOCTRINA PHILOSOPHIA LASCIVIENTIA UNIVERSAIBAILI
If you put them all together you get animusdoctrinaphilosophialascivientiauniversibaili which is the key.
A simple Google search of the word vigenere will give you a few options on the first page of search results that help you decode cryptic text if you have the key.
I know, I know, a tad complicated, but fascinating none the less.
So if you’re feeling adventurous, give it a try.
P.S. I want to give a quick shout out to Haley Moore who helped us put this puzzle together.
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Thank you.